Mr. Speaker, I feel like I am listening to a flock of seagulls over Belledune.

People affected by the Bennett project in Belledune are in Ottawa today to share their concerns with the government. The Minister of the Environment incorrectly claims that we are asking him to intervene in an issue that is outside his jurisdiction.

I am asking this government to stop acting the fool and tell us why the Minister of Fisheries and Oceans does not want to use section 35 of the Fisheries Act, which gives him the authority to intervene in order to protect resources in Chaleur Bay.

Mr. Speaker, it is very odd that the Bloc Quebecois would want the federal government to take measures in an area that falls under provincial jurisdiction.

The hon. member truly wants us to get involved in an area of provincial responsibility. That is really strange, coming from a party that has been saying for years that the federal government must stop encroaching on provincial jurisdictions. It is very clear, there is actually no political authority, constitutionally, at the federal level to do what the hon. member is asking me to do.

Mr. Speaker, yesterday at the health committee, officials from Health Canada indicated that the Treasury Board guidelines have been ignored within the department. The deputy minister refused to indicate where and how much.

Every day we see more corruption from this government. Why would the minister allow her department to break the rules?

Mr. Speaker, I am not aware of what the hon. member is speaking about, but let me reassure the hon. member that if in fact he is referring to the situation involving the Virginia Fontaine addictions centre, we took immediate action, both in terms of putting in place a forensic audit and turning over the results to the RCMP, and charges have been laid. Investigation continues. In fact, internally, I want to reassure the hon. member that we have put in place new safeguards, working with the Treasury Board, to ensure that this kind of thing does not happen again.

Mr. Speaker, a U.S. plan to divert water from Devils Lake, North Dakota, will result in the inter-basin transfer of water into the Red River and on into Lake Winnipeg. It is a serious threat to Manitoba's aquatic ecosystem and is in direct violation of the Boundary Waters Treaty act.

Will the government agree today to immediately refer this issue to the International Joint Commission? Will they help us fight the Devils Lake diversion come hell or high water?

Mr. Speaker, I totally agree with the premise in the member's question that this is a serious matter. We are looking at it and taking it very seriously. The last time I met with the secretary of state of the United States I raised this matter with him. He has assured me that under his responsibilities in respect of the Boundary Waters Treaty act he is referring this to his authorities to ascertain whether it is in conformity with the Boundary Waters Treaty.

From there, there are other remedies. We will pursue them. We will protect Canadians. We always do. We are ensuring that the United States respects its obligations under the Boundary Waters Treaty act.

It is my duty pursuant to Standing Order 81(14) to inform the House that the motion to be considered tomorrow during the consideration of the business of supply is as follows:

That, although the Prime Minister has a mandate and should be able to end it as he chooses, given the democratic imbalance that currently prevails and that results in the government's decision-making occurring outside this House, and more broadly outside any public institution, this House calls upon the Prime Minister to leave office as soon as possible after November 14, 2003.

The motion, standing in the name of the hon. member for Roberval, is votable.

Mr. Speaker, pursuant to Standing Order 31, I have the honour to present, in both official languages, the report of the Delegation of the Canadian Group of the Interparliamentary Union concerning the 107th conference and related meetings of the Interparliamentary Union, held in Marrakesh, Morocco from March 16 to 23, 2002.

Mr. Speaker, I have the honour to present the 49th report of the Standing Committee on Procedure and House Affairs regarding the associate membership of the Standing Committee on Human Resources Development and the Status of Persons with Disabilities. If the House gives its consent, I intend to move concurrence in the 49th report later this day.

Mr. Speaker, I have the honour to present, in both official languages, the 23rd report of the Standing Committee on Public Accounts, on Chapter 7, “National Defence--Environmental Stewardship of Military Training and Test Areas”, of the April 2003 report of the Auditor General of Canada. Pursuant to Standing Order 109 of the House of Commons, the committee requests the government to table a comprehensive response to this report.

Mr. Speaker, I have the honour to present, in both official languages, two reports of the Standing Committee on Health.

First is the seventh report, here pursuant to Standing Order 108(2), wherein the committee, during its consideration of an act to amend the Hazardous Products Act, adopted the following motion:

That the Chair present to the House a report requesting that the Government table within six months regulations regarding fire-safe cigarettes.

Next, the eighth report of the Standing Committee on Health is here in accordance with its order of reference of September 23, 2003, to say that the committee has considered Votes Nos. 1a, 5a, 10a and 15a under Health in the supplementary estimates (A) for the fiscal year ending March 31, 2004, and reports the same to you.